A blog about the Big Four of the English Premier League

Manchester United – Hated, Adored but never Ignored

Contrary to conventional wisdom, I did not go into depression over the past week watching Chelshit p(l)ay their way to the fourth league title in their non-existent history. In a season where no team really got any sort of run going, Chelsea was probably the most consistent. Of course, they also didn’t lose 6 of their starting back four to injury over months like us or lose the only player capable of putting a ball into a goal like the poor Scouse. Arsenal are of course bound to lose 6 people to injury every season. But all things said and done, fair play to them. The diginified concession of the title by SAF after their demolition of Wigan is prrof of this general sentiment. What we definitely proved this season though is this:

If we’ve learnt anything at all from Fabio Capello’s squad, it is that the Brit journalists are baaaaaaaaaaddddd at predictions. Most horrendous among them was the Chelsea-Liverpool two-horse race that was predicted at the top. Why? Because we had sold off CR7 AND that shameless mercenary and suddenly the Fab Four was down to 2. Oh no, apocalypse, what are we gonna do. United are doomed. And then the most Mancunian of all Liverpudlians single-handedly dragged our attack through game after game over 10 months, pushing them and that petulant, whiny, not-even-cute-six-year-old they have for a striker all the way to the last day for the title as well as the Golden Boot. That’s because we’re United and we’re hated, adored but never ignored.

Our darkest games of the season were when we played Michael Carrick and Darren Fletcher in central defence – the footballing equivalent of sticking the Wright Brothers’ plane’s wings on to the Dreamliner, cos hey, all you need is for a couple of wings to be on. The magnitude of that act was made apparent in the Munich game, when Olic simply brushed aside Carrick to score Bayern’s equalizer. A massive moment of ‘this was the man we had at center-half!!!’ for all United fans there. And through all this, the only man who has started every single bloody Premier League game for us barring one (where he came on as a sub), could only do his best as the only stable point in a makeshift-makeshift defence. Patrice Evra though still feels that it has been a season where he hasn’t been at his best. Because this is the first time he won’t be a Champion at this club. Because he is United, and we’re hated, adored but never ignored.

A fully revamped team, a bunch of mercenaries straight out of the Dogs of War, two highly-regarded managers over the course of one season, massive injections of cash, a whole lot of hot air and seemingly clever posters in extremely bad taste. Yet Shitty could not beat us over the league or over two legs in the only trophy we have this season. Leave that aside, they still couldn’t achieve their stated aim of finishing in the top 4 for the season – achieved by a team with much less talk and much more cohesion on and off the pitch. The moment David Bentley in his underpants drenched ‘Arry Live on BBC in the post-match interview after the Citeh game, he had effectively confined all of Citeh’s “memorable” moments from the season to the bin. And all of England turned their attention to their newest representative in Europe. Which leaves Shitty as the team they are – hated, barely adored and completely ignored.

Three quotes would seem the most fitting compliment for what United are, to the rest of the world. After his distasteful tantrum, when Wigan finally provded Drogba and Chelsea with their 2nd penalty off 500th attack of the game, Drogba promptly stepped up, all beaming. Penalty in, Golden Boot assured, Didier is back to being the happiest bloke on the planet and gets all huggy with best bud Frank. Somewhere over all this, on the airwaves, the commentator goes ‘Wayne Rooney, eat your heart out’. Carlo Ancelloti with his halting English and massively practiced lack of emotion in interviews admits “we’ll have to try and emulate Manchester United’s staying power”. Staying at the top, he meant. Captain, leader, legend John Terry in a gesture of characteristic grace and charm comes up with “Now it’s their turn to sit and watch us”, referring to us, of course. All of which just go to show, as United, we’re hated, adored but NEVER ignored.

Remember us forever. For we too have lived, loved, laughed and lifted the title